Metal awning



June 11, 1940. J, JENKINS ET 2,204,363

METAL AWNING Filed Jan. 15, 1959 l z/erzza Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES METAL AWNING John F. Jenkins, Park Ridge, and Frederick W. Burrows, Evanston, Ill.

Application January 16, 1939, Serial No. 251,078

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an awning made from a plurality of metal slats which are jointed to swing out of a fiat plane in one direction only so as to be adapted for winding upon a roller.

5 The special features of improvement with which this invention is concerned have to do with the joints themselves by which the awning is prevented from sagging, with the provision of flexible tension means which, in conjunction with the special joints that are used, furnishes a truss support for each slat and also for the awning in its entirety, in a transverse direction, and with the provision of reinforcements integral with the slats by which the awning is reinforced in a longitudinal direction as well. Such an awning may be made of any appropriate lightweight metal, such as aluminum or an alloy thereof, and be produced with the aid of dies at small expense, and, in service, will effectively withstand the effects of weather in all seasons of the year, so that taking down and storing during the winter months is unnecessary.

With these, and other features of improveihent as hereinafter noted, our invention is concerned, a suggestive embodiment thereof being shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of 7 plurality of slats 5 each jointed along opposite longitudinal edges for swinging connection to the adjacent slats. The upper awning edge 5 may be secured to a roller R upon which the awning is adapted to be wound with the several slats 4 5 swinging at the joints in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. The opposite or lower edge of the awning is desirably equipped with a depending flap 6 which may be swingingly connected to the adjacent slat so as to freely hang therefrom, as 50 shown in Fig, 1. A tubular edging 1 may heapplied to this fiap for purposes of reinforcement;

appearance and protection.

In its unrolled or extended condition the awning is maintained substantially flat as by means 55 of appropriate struts 8, each of which may be jointed intermcdiately of its ends, as at 8, so that its two sections will have capacity'to fold one upon the other thereby permitting the awning to be wound upon the roller. One end of the strut is pivotally connected to a fitting 9 adjacent a bracket l0 whereon one end of the roller is rotativelysupported, both fittings being socured in any appropriate manner to the wall whereon the awning is to be carried. The opposite end of the strut is pivotally connected, as 10 at I I, to a fitting adjacent the awning lower edge where the fiap is also suspended. In the extended position shown in Fig. 1, the struts, of which at least two should be used, serve to maintain the awning taut, and only when the struts 15 are folded is the awning'free to be rolled up.

As shown, each slat is formed of sheet metal, desirably aluminum or some alloy thereof, with its long dimension ina direction parallel to the roller axis and its short dimension in the transg verse direction. Since the slats should be light in weight it is important that they be individually, as well as collectively. reinforced to prevent sagging of the completed awning in any direction. For lengthwise reinforcement each 5 slat may be upwardly crimped to provide one or more ribs 15 which are extended continuously lengthwise of the slat. As shown in Fig. 2, two such ribs are provided, each located about midway between the center of the slat and one of its edgess,

The joints between the slats are formed by tubular bands adapted to interlock. Each slat adjacent one edge a: is curved around through about 270 as at a to define the major part of i a tube. The opposite edge y of the same slat is reversely bent as at b, then returned upon itself through a shoulder section 0, and finally curved around through an arc of substantially 270 as at d to define the major part of a tube having an internal diameter very slightly greater than the tube a which is proximate to the edge I. With such a construction for each slat, the tubular joint a of one may be interfitted with the tubular joint d of another, and so on until enough slats have been assembled to complete an awning of desired size. The overhanging shoulders 0 being in engagement with the top surfaces of the complementary slats, the entire awning is thereby sustained in a flat plane so that crosswise sagging is prevented. When the slats are to be swung upon each other, as indicated in Fig. 3, sufficient clearance exists between the edge of the tubular joint d and the underside of the proximate slat to permit of the slats being wound upon the roller.

A collective reinforcement cross-wise of the awning is provided by a flexible tension strip C, desirably of light steel, of which two or more will probably be used. As shown, one tension strip is afiixed to the underside of the awning adjacent one end, and another, parallel therewith, at a distance therefrom. Still another tension strip, similar to the others, may be used with advantage at the opposite end (not shown) of the awning and other intermediate strips, if -desired, may also be added. Each such strip which is connected as by a pair of rivets IS with each slat at a point about midway of its opposite edges, extends cross-wise of the awning for substantially its full width. It will be observed that the tension strip from each point of connection I6 proceeds angularly in both directions to pass around the depending tubular joints where an other angular bend is made as the strip continues on to the next points of connection, etc. In this way we provide for each joint a truss support which reinforces that which is afforded by engagement of the shoulder of each slat with the upper surface of the next adjacent slat. This truss support extends cross-wise of the entire awning so that sagging in a direction transversely of the slats is prevented. .Since there is also longitudinal reinforcement afforded by the ribs 55, it will be manifest that the entire awning is adequately sustained in a substantially fiat plane edges of the slats, complete drainage ,of water,

without leakage through the jointsi is assured. The major irregularities of the awning which are produced by the interfitting tubular joint between the slats are all located in the underside where they are least visible. Advantage is taken of this, however, by employing tension strips which co-operate with these joints to provide a truss support for each. slat in the manner already explained. Since the joints are of tubular form, they may each receive interiorly thereof, at opposite ends of the awning, a short plug, adapted to be screwed in place or held therein by tension. Each plug may be equipped with a head I! which furnishes an ornamental closure for the end of the joint, as shown in Fig. 4.

We claim:

1. An awning in which is comprised a plurality of longitudinally extending slats interconnected along their longitudinal edges by depending joints to provide a continuous rollable sheet, and flexible tension'means independent of the slats connected with each at points intermediate of their long edges and extending crosswise of the slats continuously across the sheet in engagement with each depending joint adapted to provide therefor a truss support comprising oppo-' sitely inclined portions extending upwardly from opposite sides of the bottom of each joint to the points of attachment of the flexible tension means, the depending joints offsetting the tension means from the slats and forming struts for the truss support.

2. An awning in which is comprised a plurality of longitudinally extending slats, means interconnecting the slats along adjacent longitudinal edges and depending therebelow in spaced relation to each other whereby to provide a continuous rollable sheet, means for sustaining one awning edge adjacent a fixed support, means for sustaining the opposite awning edge outwardly from such support, and flexible tension means extending crosswise of the awning between said opposite edges thereof having a fixed connection with each slat at a point intermediate of the depending connecting means therefor whereby the flexible tension means furnishes for each slat a truss support with all of the slats placed under compression,said truss support comprising oppositely inclined portions extending upwardly from opposite sides of the bottom of each interconnecting means of the slats to the points of attachment of the flexible tension means, the interconnecting means of the slats offsetting the flexible tension means from the slats and forming a strut for the truss support.

3. An awning in which is comprised a plurality of longitudinally extending slats each formed.

tubular joint may be fitted within the larger tubular joint on an adjacent slat to provide therebetween a swinging connection with the two-ply section of each slat overhanging and overlapping a-portion of the face of the body portion of the adjacent slat whereby to prevent swinging motion in one direction out of a plane wherein the several slats are disposed when the awning is extended outwardly, and flexible tension means independent of the slats connected with each at a point intermediate of their longitudinal edges and extending crosswise of the slats continuously across the sheet in engagement with each depending joint and adapted to provide a truss support for the slats, the depending joints ofisetting the tension means from the slats and forming a strut for the truss support.

JOHN F. JENKINS. FREDERICK W. BURROWS. 

